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Dimethylmercury facts for kids

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Dimethylmercury structure

Dimethylmercury, sometimes called dimethyl mercury, is a chemical compound. It contains methyl and mercury ions. Its chemical formula is (CH3)2Hg.

Properties

It is a colorless liquid. It evaporates very fast. It is a very strong toxin to the nervous system. It doesn't react with water like other similar chemicals. It contains mercury in its +2 oxidation state. It can react with mercury(II) chloride to make a crystalline chemical compound.

Production

It is made by reacting a sodium amalgam with methyl iodide.

Uses

It has almost no uses. It is rarely used to test instruments that are used to detect mercury.

Safety

It is extremely toxic. If just a drip gets placed on human skin, it will poison the person. It gets into the brain easily when it goes through the skin. The poisoning does not happen quickly, though. It sometimes can take months before the poisoning effects show.

Related pages

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Dimetilmercurio para niños

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